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Original poster

How many of us have NHS dentistry?

97 replies

pacinofan · 27/02/2006 15:35

After being without a dentist for 9 months, our family was hugely relieved when we managed to register with an NHS dentist approx. 9 miles away. We have only visited twice, and now the practice is to turn private. I resent the principle of having to go private, I think we pay enough through taxation to at least fund basic check-ups. So yet again, we are without dental care unless we are prepared to sign up to a Denplan scheme (we are not).

It got me wondering though, how many of us actually have an NHS dentist?

OP posts:
Lio · 28/02/2006 10:55

I do (Kentish Town, NW5)

prettybird · 28/02/2006 11:32

Scotland has just announced an initiative to bring in a load of Polish dentists to deal with the shortage.

Furball · 28/02/2006 11:37

we've got 2 x polish dentists in our practice

CountessDracula · 28/02/2006 11:40

No

Bozza · 28/02/2006 11:43

I do for me and the kids. Is in next village, so 5 minutes drive. DH has to go into the middle of the nearest big town, park in the multistory etc because that was the nearest NHS dentist he could find when he had toothache several years ago - my dentist had stopped taking NHS by that point.

magicfarawaytree · 28/02/2006 12:06

i have takes on average min 1 month normally longer. I had to cancel an appointment in December due to kids having chickenpox and was only able to get one for march!

3xamum · 28/02/2006 12:11

I got booted out of my dentist as I'm exempt from paying. I could stay if I took out one of their dental plans - er no thanks!

Luckily my partner got me into his NHS dentist but how long til they go private???

diddle · 01/03/2006 09:33

I have an NHS dentist. DH joined them a few years ago, after coming off denplan. the dentist will see both nhs and private patients though. I have been with him since i was a child.

MommyUpNorth · 01/03/2006 11:30

No NHS dentists up here, and no private ones accepting new patients. :( So none of us are registered with any dentist.

Hulababy · 01/03/2006 11:34

No NHS here either. We have managed to find a private clinic with spaces for me, Dh and DD. Even DD gets no NHS treatment either.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 01/03/2006 12:00

I have an NHS dentist, was easy to sign up, just walked in and filled out a form and instantly registered.
Dh is also at same place, have got to sign up Ds yet (13.5m)

My friend is a dental nurse (not at my dentist) and she said Government are changing pricing policies for NHS dental surgeries. There will be only 3 prices/charges.

ie. A check up and scale polish etc will be around £15

A filling will be around £45 however many you have, so if you have one filling it will cost the same as if you have 10 fillings.

Wheres that huge bar of chocolate....

LazyWoman · 01/03/2006 13:33

Our family of five has a fantastic NHS dentist in Chichester.

chocolateshoes · 01/03/2006 13:36

Where are you Mommyupnorth? We have an NHS one in Kirkby Lonsdale if you're anywhere near?

MommyUpNorth · 01/03/2006 13:57

Highlands - Caithness

spidermum · 01/03/2006 15:50

I did have when we lived in London, then they went private. Didn't get round to filling out forms so had no dentist. Now moved to Brighton and having trouble finding an NHS one. I hate going to the dentist even though never had any work done. Just find them so patronising re brushing etc. Obviously don't do it properly [blush}. Want to get one of those sonic brushes. Alas no money...

spidermum · 01/03/2006 16:14

Just went on nhs.uk and did a postcode search for registering with a dentist. Got the list, starting ringing, information on the website incorrect. What's the point if it's not uptodate? I do resent having to go private for the children.

SecondhandRose · 01/03/2006 16:17

I can't believe that dentists are just allowed to do this. We are going back to Victorian times, so do we all sit back and wait for the GP's to do the same thing?

I am a qualified dental nurse, dentists earn plenty of money, it makes me feel quite sick.

I'm one of the lucky ones, never had much work done but my son who is 10 and needs orthodontic work has been told we won't be eligible to have it on the NHS and £600 is the starting price!!!

Original poster
pacinofan · 01/03/2006 16:32

Secondhandrose, I sympathise. Dh had dental work (implants) done a few years ago - cost over £2000. Dentist did a great job and it had to be done, but we were staggered at the cost of it. Thankfully, my teeth seem ok so it kind of cushions the blow a bit!

OP posts:
chicagomum · 01/03/2006 16:49

WHat do you mean I can't believe dentists are allowed to do this? You can't belive they are allowed to do what is best for them and they family, ensuring they earn enough to pay the bills mortage etc etc. And in all of this don't go blaming the dentists, try looking a little further afield to the nhs and the government as to why they are going private. I am so tired of hearing they dentists being made out to be the bad guys.

moyasmum · 01/03/2006 16:49

We're ok in our region ,but my very aged father has had to register privately (even that was difficult) because there is no nhs places in the county. Look on the map to see just how big Cumbria actually is!

SecondhandRose · 01/03/2006 17:44

chicagomum - how do you think the poorest members of our community will get their teeth fixed. We are going back to days before the welfare state. Show me a poor dentist and I might sympathise.

desperateSCOUSEwife · 01/03/2006 17:46

We do
merseyside

LIZS · 01/03/2006 17:46

no - we had to change to Denplan, almost 10 years ago I think, although the practice does still ahve some NHS patients and the kids are still on NHS.

chicagomum · 01/03/2006 17:48

I agree the system is in shambles and the new proposals are no better, but (and at the risk of repeating myself) its not the dentists fault. They have been moving over to the private sector for years now because under the nhs they have had to work harder and harder and longer hours to maintain the same level of income. The new proposals will mean in some cases their income will drop by 20% or more. Why should they have to accept that just because they have a reasonalbe income. Would you sit back and accept a decrase in your pay of 20% or would you look to do something about it?

SecondhandRose · 01/03/2006 17:57

The private side of dentistry is highly lucrative. Any cash received doesn't go through the books, but straight in the back pocket. Nurses are notoriously poorly paid. I don't know what dentists get paid to do a check up and polish on a child but it takes 2-3 minutes to do at the most. Add that up, we used to do families of 4 in every 15 minutes every school day afternoon and all day everyday in school holidays.

I didn't vote labour but he's certainly got some Tory policies, he's obviously forgotten what labour stands for.